Early years and education (1540–1569)

Born in London on January 24, 1540, Campion received his early education at Christ's Hospital, and, as the best of the London scholars, was chosen in their name to make the complimentary speech when Queen Mary visited the city. He then attended St John's College, Oxford, becoming a fellow in 1557 and taking the Oath of Supremacy on the occasion of his degree in 1564. When Sir Thomas White, the founder of the college, was buried in 1567, the Latin oration fell to the lot of Campion.

Two years later he welcomed Queen Elizabeth to the university, and won her lasting regard. He was selected to lead a public debate in front of the queen. By the time the Queen had left Oxford, Campion had earned the patronage of the powerful William Cecil and also the Earl of Leicester, tipped by some to be future husband of the young Queen. People were now talking of Campion in terms of being a future Archbishop of Canterbury, in the newly established Anglican Church.[citation needed]

Rejecting Anglicanism

Religious difficulties now arose; but at the persuasion of Richard Cheyney, Bishop of Gloucester, although holding Catholic doctrines, he received deacon's orders in the Anglican Church. Inwardly "he took a remorse of conscience and detestation of mind." Rumours of his opinions began to spread and he left Oxford in 1569 and went to Ireland to take part in a proposed establishment of the University of Dublin.

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Ireland (1569–1571)

Campion was appointed tutor to Richard Stanihurst, son of the Speaker of the Irish parliament, and attended the first session of the House of Commons, which included the prorogation. Campion was transferred by Stanihurst's arrangement to the house of Patrick Barnewall at Turvey in the Pale, which he acknowledged saved him from arrest and torture by the Protestant party in Dublin. For some three months he eluded his pursuers, going by the name "Mr Patrick" and occupying himself by writing a history of Ireland.

Douai (1571–1573)

In 1571, Campion left Ireland in secret and escaped to Douai in the Low Countries (now France) where he was reconciled to the Catholic Church and received the Eucharist that he had denied himself for the last twelve years. He entered the English College founded by William Allen. The College's intake grew, and a little after Campion's arrival a papal subsidy was granted. Campion found himself reunited with Oxford friends. He was to teach rhetoric while there and finish studying for the degree of Bachelor of Divinity, granted him by the University of Douai on January 21, 1573. Having obtained his degree, Campion left for Rome, travelling on foot and alone in the guise of a pilgrim. In that same year he entered a novitiate with the Jesuits, and spent some years in Vienna and Prague.

Mission to England (1580–1581)

In 1580, the Jesuit mission to England began. Campion accompanied Robert Persons who, as superior, was intended to counterbalance his own fervour and impetuousness. He had been reluctant to follow the father general's order to take part in the mission, the members of which were instructed to avoid the company of boys and women, and to avoid giving the impression of being legacy hunters. Before embarking, the members of the mission were embarrassed to receive news of a landing by papal sponsored forces in the Irish province of Munster in support of the Irish rebel James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald. They also learned that a letter detailing their party and mission had been intercepted and that they were expected in England.[citation needed]

Campion finally entered England in the guise of a jewel merchant. He arrived in London on June 24, 1580, and at once began to preach. His presence became known to the authorities, and the diffusion of the challenge he threw down in the form of a declaration, known as the "Challenge to the Privy Council" to his allies and as "Campion's Brag" to his enemies, made his position more difficult. He led a hunted life, preaching and ministering to Catholics in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Lancashire.

During this time he was writing his "Decem Rationes" ("Ten Reasons"), a rhetorical display of reasons against the Anglican Church. The book was printed in a clandestine press at Stonor Park, Henley, and 400 copies were found on the benches of St Mary's, Oxford, at the Commencement, on June 27, 1581. It caused great sensation, and the hunt for Campion was stepped up. On his way to Norfolk, he stopped at Lyford, then in Berkshire, where he preached on July 14 and the following day, by popular request. Here, he was captured by a spy and taken to London with his arms pinioned and bearing on his hat a paper with the inscription, "Campion, the Seditious Jesuit."[1]

Trial and execution

Committed to the Tower of London, he was questioned in the presence of Queen Elizabeth, who asked him if he acknowledged her to be the true Queen of England. He replied in the affirmative, and she offered him wealth and dignities, but on condition of rejecting his Catholic faith, which he refused to accept. He was kept a long time in prison and reputedly racked twice. Despite the effect of a false rumour of retraction and a forged confession, his adversaries summoned him to four public conferences (September 1, 18, 23 and 27, 1581). Although still suffering from his ill treatment, and allowed neither time nor books for preparation, he reportedly conducted himself so easily and readily that he won the admiration of most of the audience. Tortured again on October 31, he was indicted at Westminster on a charge of having conspired, along with others, in Rome and Reims to raise a sedition in the realm and dethrone the Queen.[1]

Campion was sentenced to death as a traitor. He answered: "In condemning us, you condemn all your own ancestors, all our ancient bishops and kings, all that was once the glory of England -- the island of saints, and the most devoted child of the See of Peter." He received the death sentence with the Te Deum laudamus. After spending his last days in prayer he was led with two companions to Tyburn and hanged, drawn and quartered on December 1, 1581, aged 41.

The actual ropes used in his execution are now kept in glass display tubes at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire; each year they are placed on the altar of St Peter's Church for Mass to celebrate Campion's feast day—which is always a holiday for the school.[3]

From LoveToKnow 1911

EDMUND CAMPION (1540-1581), English Jesuit, was
born in London, received his
early education at Christ's Hospital, and, as the best
of the London scholars, was chosen in their name to make the
complimentary speech when Queen Mary visited the city on the 3rd of
August 1553. He went to Oxford
and became fellow of St John's College in 1557, taking the oath of
supremacy on the occasion of his degree in 1564, in which year he
was orator in the schools. He had already shown his talents as a speaker at the funeral of Amy
Robsart in 1560; and when
Sir Thomas White,
the founder of the college, was buried in 1564, the Latin oration fell to the lot of
Campion. Two years later he welcomed Queen Elizabeth to the university, and won a
regard, which the queen preserved until the end. Religious
difficulties now began to beset him; but at the persuasion of
Edward Cheyney, bishop of Gloucester, although
holding Catholic
doctrines, he took deacon's orders in the English Church. Inwardly
"he took a remorse of conscience and detestation of mind." Rumours
of his opinions began to spread and, giving up the office of proctor, he left Oxford in 1569
and went to Ireland to take
part in a proposed restoration of the Dublin University. The suspicion of papistry
followed him; and orders were given for his arrest. For some three months he eluded pursuit,
hiding among friends and occupying himself by writing a history of
Ireland (first published in Holinshed's Chronicles), a
superficial work of no real value. At last he escaped to Douai, where he joined William Allen and
was reconciled to the Roman Church. After being
ordained subdeacon, he went to Rome and became a Jesuit in 1573, spending some
years at Briinn, Vienna and Prague. In 1580 the Jesuit
mission to England was
begun, and he accompanied Robert Parsons who, as superior, was
intended to counterbalance Campion's fervour and impetuous zeal. He
entered England in the characteristic guise of a jewel merchant, arrived in London on
the 24th of June 1580, and at once began to preach. His presence
became known to the authorities and an indiscreet declaration,
"Campion Brag," made the position
more difficult. The hue
and cry was out against him; henceforth he led a hunted life,
preaching and
ministering to Catholics in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Lancashire. During this
time he was writing his Decem Rationes, a rhetorical
display of reasons against the Anglican Church. The book was
printed in a private press at Stonor Park, Henley, and 400 copies
were found on the benches of St Mary's, Oxford, at the
Commencement, on the 27th of June 1581. The sensation was immense,
and the pursuit became keener. On his way to Norfolk he stopped at Lyford in Berkshire,
where he preached on the 14th of July and the following day,
yielding to the foolish importunity of some pious women. Here he
was captured by a spy and taken to
London, bearing on his hat a paper
with the inscription, "Campion, the Seditious Jesuit." Committed to
the Tower, he was examined in
the presence of Elizabeth, who asked him if he acknowledged her to
be really queen of England, and on his replying straightly in the
affirmative, she made him offers, not only of life but of wealth
and dignities, on conditions which his conscience could not allow.
He was kept a long time in prison, twice racked by order of the council,
and every effort was made to shake his constancy. Despite the
effect of a false rumour of retraction and a forged confession, his
adversaries in despair summoned him to four public conferences
(1st, 18th, 23rd and 27th of September), and although still
suffering, and allowed neither time nor books for preparation, he
bore himself so easily and readily that he won the admiration of
most of the audience.
Racked again on the 31st of October, he was indicted at Westminster that he
with others had conspired at Rome and Reims to raise a sedition in the.realm and dethrone the queen.
On the 10th of November he was brought in guilty before Lord Chief
Justice Wray; and in reply to him said: "If our religion do
make traitors we are worthy to be condemned; but otherwise are and
have been true subjects as ever the queen had." He received the
sentence of the traitor's death with the Te Deum laudamus,
and, after spending his last days in pious exercises, was led with
two companions to Tyburn (1st
of December 1581) and suffered the barbarous penalty. Of all the Jesuit missionaries who
suffered for their allegiance to the ancient religion, Campion
stands the highest. His life and his aspirations were pure, his
zeal true and his loyalty
unquestionable. He was beatified by Leo XIII. in 1886.

An admirable biography is to be found in Richard Simpson's
Edmund Campion (1867); and a complete list of his works in
De Backer's Bibliotheque de la compagnie de Jesus. (E.
TN.)